Fundamentals Project Management Series
Difficult Conversations – Communication Pitfalls
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Things to Know…
All participants will be on mute.
Questions are welcome.
Use the question box to ask questions.
PM training is valid for 1 PDU
Must be in attendance
PDU certificate sent by the end of the week
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Moderator
Denise Rodriguez
Project Insight
Marketing
www.projectinsight.net
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Presenter
Diane C. Buckley-Altwies, MBA, PMP
CEO, Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Training & consulting in project management,
PMP® and CAPM® certification, leadership,
business analysis, agile, and six sigma
www.coreperformanceconcepts.com
PMP® and CAPM® are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute
© 2013 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Presenter
Janice Y. Preston, MBA, CPA, PMP
COO, Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Training & consulting in project management,
PMP® and CAPM® certification, leadership,
business analysis, agile, and six sigma
www.coreperformanceconcepts.com
©2013 Core Performance Concepts
Inc.
PMP® and CAPM® are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Get to Know Our Audience
What is the most difficult conversation you
have had to deal with?
� Telling a team member they are being
disruptive to the team.
� Giving a client “bad” news.
� Delivering “bad” news to senior management
� Making a recommendation to cancel a project.
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Goals of the Fundamentals Series
Deepen your understanding of fundamental project
management concepts
Identify tools and techniques that can be implemented to
manage projects more effectively
Discover practical applications for your existing projects
Use project management software more effectively
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Objectives of This Webinar
At the end of this webinar, you will be able to:
� Describe the communication model.
� Identify symptoms of poor communication.
� List sources of poor communication.
� Address communication pitfalls headon.
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Planning
ProcessesExecuting ProcessesInitiating
Processes
Monitoring
& Controlling
ProcessesPlan
Communications
Identify
Stakeholders
Manage
Communications
Manage
Stakeholder
Engagement
Control
Communications
Communications
Management Plan
Stakeholder
Register
Performance
Reports
Change
Requests
Change
Requests
Communication
TechnologyCommunication
Requirements
Analysis
Stakeholder
Analysis
Variance
Analysis
Forecasting
Methods
Interpersonal
Skills
Management
Skills
Stakeholder ManagementCommunications Management
Performance
Reporting
Project
Communications
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Communications Management
Purpose
� To ensure timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation,
distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring and
ultimate disposition of project information
Importance
� Communication is the most important skill a project manager can
develop
� Every project team brings with it unique communications challenges
� Identify stakeholder’s has gained significance
� Communication is discussed in EVERY knowledge area
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Communications Model
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Symptoms of Poor Communications
Rework
Slipped delivery schedules
Client unhappy with end
product
Finger pointing
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Question for You
What are symptoms of poor
communication that you’ve
seen?
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Sources of Poor Communication
Virtual teams
Failure to listen
Distractions
Failure to obtain feedback
Language & cultural differences
“Assuming”
And?
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Question for You
What are other reasons for
poor communication?
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Poor Communication
Perform stakeholder analysis
� Stakeholder register
Develop project communications & work
performance information
� Focus on variances
� Focus on exceptions
� Focus on solving issues
Use appropriate distribution techniques
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Busy Foods, Inc. – Case Study
Customer Needs
Organizational Needs
Project Charter
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Factors Affecting Busy Foods Inc.
Overview• BUSY FOODS services over 200 clients world-wide.
• Most of BUSY FOOD’S clients are large restaurant venues who can serve thousands in a single day
Situation• In recent years, long-term clients have started to leave for a competitor
who promises overnight delivery of restaurant equipment without a
minimum order.
Goal• BUSY FOODS would like to improve their distribution process
to match the competition
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Deliverable
Improve the time from order intake to shipping restaurant equipment) to less than 8 hours
Deliverable
Develop and launch a marketing campaign to clients to educate them on the new equipment shipping process
Deliverable
Train all internal staff affected by the new business process
Project Statement of Work
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Stakeholder Stakeholder Expectations of Project
Interest in
Project
Impact to
Project
Strategy for Gaining Support or Reducing
Obstacles
John Michelson, CEO Project is critical to keeping in business.
Wants the project implemented with
HIGH quality.
High Significant
Influence
Need to make sure that John is aware of all
critical issues. He will be able to help with
any obstacles the team may have.
Henry Target,
Marketing VP
Really likes the idea of improving
processes. Can think of several ways to
Market the company once the project is
completed.
High Low Influence Provide a simple status regularly on what
benefits will be expected as the new
processes are implemented.
Tom Wang, VP of
Business Development
and Sales
Thinks this new project can improve
opportunities for the company. Wants
the project in as soon as possible.
High High Influence Need to balance desire to have project
completed fast to quality that the CEO is
looking for.
Sarah Policie,
Distribution Manager
Doesn’t really like change, but will do
what is asked.
Low Low Influence Will need to keep in mind making Sarah’s life
easy when ready to deliver, but not
necessary.
Stakeholder Power & Interest
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Manage Closely
Monitor Keep Informed
Keep Satisfied
Tom Wang, VP Business Dev
John Michelson, CEO
Sarah Policie, Distribution
Manager
Henry Target, VP Marketing
Stakeholder Power & Interest
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Common Communication Pitfalls
Not addressing conflict soon enough
Not cancelling a project when appropriate
Not communicating bad news to:
Customers
Senior Management
And?
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Question for You
Where else do you see
communication “pitfalls”
in your organization?
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Sample Exam Questions
Question Answers
You are the project manager for a
construction company. You understand
that you will be the project manager on a
new residential community project. Before
you are officially named as the project
manager, you are asked to help develop
the project charter. Part of the efforts in
developing the project charter should
include…
A. Create a communications plan to be included in the
project charter
B. Create a stakeholder register based on your
organization’s templates so that a stakeholder
analysis can be performed after project kick-off
C. Determine the best method of communicating project
status to the project sponsor
D. Determining who the stakeholders are on the project
and do a stakeholder analysis
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Sample Exam Questions
Question Answers
You are a project manager on a
large software development project
and you have several key
stakeholders that have a low
interest in the project, however
high power. You should…
A. Touch base with the stakeholders occasionally
B. Communicate regularly to ensure these
stakeholders are satisfied
C. Manage the communications with these
stakeholders very closely
D. Provide information to these stakeholders
frequently
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Review
Describe the communication model.
What are symptoms of poor communication?
What are sources of poor communication?
How to address communication pitfalls?
Questions & Answers??
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
2015 Planning
Would you like to deliver Project
Management Courses in your
Organization?
Learn about Core Peformance Concepts’
licensing programs.
It’s QUICK & EASY!
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Compare Yourself to Your Peers
Want to know how you measure up to
others in project management?
� Use the link distributed to all participants
on Monday following the session to
answer 10 questions about today’s topic.
� Receive a summary of responses so that
you can compare yourself to your peers.
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Special Promotion
Continue improving your project management skills.
Core Performance Concepts offers a 10% discount on
their online courses for anyone attending the
webinar.
Check them out today!
http://clicky.me/cpc-pm
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
2014 Fundamentals Webinar Series
The 2nd Wednesday of Every Month
� 8:00 am Pacific Time
Topics
� Jan 7 – Estimating Time
� Feb 11 – Conducting Meetings with Virtual
Teams
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
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Go to www.projectinsight.net
2 ways to register:
� Training & Support
� Project Insight Calendar
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
Earn PDUsYou will automatically receive your PDUs certificate via email after the webinar
For further questions: [email protected]
Earn 1 PDU for each webinar session attended
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education
Select Category B – Continuing Education
� Input start and end dates
� Hours completed: 1
� Provider name: Core Performance Concepts Inc.
� Phone number: 949-859-7004
� URL: www.coreperformanceconcepts.com
� Email address: [email protected]
© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
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© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
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© 2014 Core Performance Concepts Inc.
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